Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I just got back from school this week and checked on my python, I've had my pastel male for about 2 months now and he has still not eaten for me although the vet did force feed him some A/D science diet food about 2 weeks ago. Since then he pooped (it was greenish but it dried before I could get it tested) once but I still can't get him to eat. He looks disgusting has almost no muscle that I can feel and weighs only 38g at 3 months . The vet isn't there right now, what should I do, try for another live (rat pup?), frozen, or maybe try physically pushing food down his throat? That might sound a little extreme but I'm very worried now and don't know what to do with such a picky eater (probably not getting another ball for quite some time after this). Thanks.
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Danne
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1.0 '07 BRB "Monroe"
1.0 '08 Pastel BP "Sebastian"
1.1 Leos "Bowser & Peach"
0.3 cats "Beast, Smokey & Thelma"
0.2 Dumbo (non-feeder) rats "Josie & Holly"
0.4.2 fish

Email = dshoback@eden.rutgers.edu

I took in a hatchling male normal ball python as a rescue two months back from a vet who was going to put him down because they couldnt get him to eat. Well he hasnt for me on his own yet but I have force fed him multiple times, and he has put on some weight and seems to be doing much better. Hope this helps you out, since he is so little and has no weight I would say go ahead and force feed him. You might save his life.

if the situation is so extreme i would force feed him, try with a freshly killed hopper, but if it doesn't work, you might have to "tube feed him" i have done it before with sickly snakes using turkey or chicken baby food (and once soaked and pureed dog food)
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Neutiquam erro. Hostes alienigeni me abduxerunt.

I had the same problem with one of my babies. He refused everything I offered him, and after two months, he was down to 42 grams. I tried two more times, and he wouldn't eat.

After 2 months and 2 weeks, he was really skinny and weak, so I force fed him a pinky mouse. I know that's not the best meal for him, but he was so weak, I didn't want a large meal to stress him out.
I opened his mouth with a blunt chopstick, and pushed the pinky in there just far enough, to hook it on his teeth. He didn't coil around it, and was trying to get it out of his mouth. Since it was hooked on his teeth, he couldn't get it out, and finally decided to swallow it, after about 15 mins.
A week later, I did the same thing. He still didn't coil around it, but this time, he swallowed it right away.
He still hasn't had his first shed, but he's up to 51 grams, and he's looking a little stronger.
I'll try a larger/healthier meal this weekend.

So - anyway, don't give up hope! (I almost did, but things are looking better for this little guy). All three of his brothers are doing just fine.

Hope this helps,
Ken
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1.0 Spider Ball Python (Sarki)
0.1 Pastel Ball Python (Panthea)
0.1 100% Het Albino Ball Python (Hazina Adamma)
1.0 Albino Ball Python (Apu)
0.5 Normal Ball Pythons (Norma, Nova, Nala, Nimeesha, Nyoka)

1.0 Desert Tortoise (Tubbs) from Tortoise Rescue
1.0 Boxer (Shadow)


www.ocballs.net
kvandoren@ocballs.net

Thanks for the encouragement guys, I got some babyfood and this Jump-Start stuff for reptiles made by ESU. Does anyone know about it? My main concern is that the 1st ingredient is Corn Syrup so I'm thinking it's mostly an iguana/turtle sort of deal. What do you guys think, mix with chicken Gerbers like pedialyte or avoid?
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Danne
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1.0 '07 BRB "Monroe"
1.0 '08 Pastel BP "Sebastian"
1.1 Leos "Bowser & Peach"
0.3 cats "Beast, Smokey & Thelma"
0.2 Dumbo (non-feeder) rats "Josie & Holly"
0.4.2 fish

Email = dshoback@eden.rutgers.edu

try assist feeding a pre-killed fuzzy first. I don't think those formulas will do any good. If you do decide to tube feed, get a pinky pump. But at his weight, and from how you describe him, I would act FAST.

Not all ball pythons are like this. In fact, the vast majority are not. Just be sure to get one from a good breeder that's already been feeding well. I just got a couple new girls in this week, and they're eating f/t mice and rats without any problems.

Maybe it was brought up in a past post....but one thing I noticed was not asked at all nor provided....what is the husbandry details?

Age of the snake?
Type of cage (rubbermaid, glass tank etc. ?)
Size of cage?
Hot side temp?
Cold side temp?
Humidity?
Hides?
Has he eaten on his own at all? (realize he hasn't eaten in the last two months other that whatever the vet forced down its throat, but did he eat before that period?)

Substate?

Weight? (current weight and past weight?)

I think answering these questions will make it easier to isolate the 'cause' of why he isn't eating on his own.

Force feeding with tubes and pinky pumps or prying open the snake's mouth and shoving food in (assist feeding I believe this last is called) is all stressful. The more stress, the less likely he will want to eat.
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PHLdyPayne

Maybe it was brought up in a past post....but one thing I noticed was not asked at all nor provided....what is the husbandry details?

Age of the snake? - 3 months, when I got him he was about 1 month

Type of cage (rubbermaid, glass tank etc. ?) - he was in a rubbermaid but I moved him to a tank and covered it with insulation on the top and sides to keep in the heat and make it more secretive. It's also in my closet with the door open so he get's a 12/12 light cycle but it's very quiet and I can also close it at night and then turn the light on in the room and not disturb him.
Size of cage? 10 gallon (and similarly sized rubbermaid)

Hot side temp? it's on a dimmer gets about 85-95
Cold side temp? 70's

Humidity? not sure of the exact number but the top of the cage is covered (it's the same for my rainbow only for the BP his bowl is not over the heat source so less water evaporates)

Hides? - 3 ziploc containers with holes cut in them too enter and he can also go underneath his water bowl since there are 2 holes in the sides (it's made for cats)
Has he eaten on his own at all? (realize he hasn't eaten in the last two months other that whatever the vet forced down its throat, but did he eat before that period?)
The guys who sold him to me told me he was eating however now I'm not so sure. They were a little fishy and didn't have records for any of their snakes.

Substate? - paper towels

Weight? (current weight and past weight?) I took him to the vet like a month into not eating, he weighed 54g I think and is now down to 38g.

Also I have tried to force feed him a number of times none of which worked. I'm sure that this added to the stress but there was really not much else I could do. I did give him some chicken baby food mixed with pedialyte last night, I'll try to get pinks tomorrow. I do have some frozen rat pups, would 'assist feeding' him one of those help? Thanks for all the help guys, everyone else just keeps saying to return him to the store but I know they won't do anything to help him.
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Danne
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1.0 '07 BRB "Monroe"
1.0 '08 Pastel BP "Sebastian"
1.1 Leos "Bowser & Peach"
0.3 cats "Beast, Smokey & Thelma"
0.2 Dumbo (non-feeder) rats "Josie & Holly"
0.4.2 fish

Email = dshoback@eden.rutgers.edu

Rat pups are probably way too big for him right now. I'd go with mouse fuzzies. When assist feeding you want to put the mouse's head as far into his mouth as possible, close the snake's mouth over it, and pull back on the mouse's tail. The idea is to get the mouse stuck in his teeth so the only option he has is to swallow it. It's stressful, but at this point it's necessary. I have a little guy that still needs to be assist fed. Hopefully he'll come around soon.

I can't see anything wrong husbandry wise...

As you gave him some stuff today I would wait about three or four days to give it time to digest before stressing him again by another force feeding.

After five or six days go by then try with a mouse fuzzy. Small meals are best right now, a too big one will be hard to force feed and hard on the digestive system. So rat pinky, mouse fuzzy would be good.

Maybe try a live ASF fuzzy if you can get a hold of them easily, to see if he will take that willingly.
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PHLdyPayne

Youtube: Snakebytestv my snake wont eat